1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a spacer unit, a method of maintaining a panel in a fixed relationship to a frame and a device for dispensing spacer units. The invention is particularly useful in the glazing trade, but should by no means be restricted to such applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The traditional method of fitting a pane of glass in a window frame is to pack putty between the glass and the inner part of the frame with which it would otherwise make contact, and on the edge of the outer face of the glass.
This method is not well adapted to fitting glass into metal frames. For these a back tape of butyl rubber or similar elastomer is fitted into the frame and the glass is laid against this. The outer face of the glass is pressed toward the frame by suitable means with which this invention is not concerned and is sealed by putty or a rubber extrusion. In high-rise buildings, especially in places where the wind can be strong, it has been found that a back tape of such material as butyl rubber is extruded or squeezed out so that the glass becomes loose and rain can penetrate round its edge. To prevent this it has become common practice to fit into the back tape at approximately 250 mm centres a series of blocks of a material such a neoprene which will not readily extrude. This is not wholly satisfactory since the neoprene block causes the elastomer in which it is embedded to bulge and to form gaps in such a way that rain can seep around the edge of the glass in the region of the neoprene block.